MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Congressman Bryan Steil (R-WI) joined Vice President JD Vance and Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in Wisconsin to discuss efforts aimed at eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs. Steil and federal officials highlighted concerns about criminals exploiting taxpayer-funded programs, including Medicaid, which the U.S. Department of Justice says was targeted in billions of dollars of fraud schemes nationwide.
According to the DOJ, fraudsters cost Medicaid more than $6.5 billion across the country between 2019 and 2022, including more than $15.5 million in Wisconsin. Steil said stronger fraud prevention measures are needed to protect the people these programs were intended to serve. “Inadequate fraud prevention standards have opened the door to criminal actors and harmed American families and children,” Steil said. “Program resources should go to those in need, not fraudsters and criminals. I’m proud to work alongside VP Vance and the Trump Administration to protect vulnerable Americans and root out waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Federal officials said the DOJ filed charges against 455 defendants as part of efforts to combat health care fraud. Cases cited by Steil’s office include a Milwaukee funeral home owner who is facing 14 felony counts of fraud for allegedly stealing nearly $1 million from Medicaid and a Milwaukee prenatal care company owner accused of stealing more than $5.4 million from the program. Other Wisconsin cases include a Milwaukee prenatal care company owner who was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for stealing more than $2.3 million from Medicaid and a Milwaukee business owner accused of defrauding Medicaid out of more than $2 million for personal care services that were allegedly never delivered.
Steil also highlighted the Working Family Tax Cuts Act, which was signed into law in July 2025. According to Steil’s office, the law is intended to fight waste, fraud, and abuse while strengthening programs like Medicaid for children, pregnant women, disabled Americans, and others who rely on the assistance. The legislation includes work requirements for able-bodied adults without young children, requiring 20 hours per week of work to receive benefits.
The law also strengthens eligibility integrity measures, including removing deceased individuals from benefit rolls, eliminating duplicate enrollees, and requiring eligibility verification twice per year. Steil’s office said the legislation also increases Medicaid spending by more than $100 billion over the next 10 years while adding safeguards to prevent criminals from taking resources away from those who qualify for assistance.
2 Responses
Congressman Steil does well on photo ops and press releases…but does not really seem to making things easier for taxpayers. Paul Ryan sort of Republican I guess.
Sellout steil